1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to golfing apparatus, and, more particularly, to a golf green apparatus movable over a predetermined course and rotatable about a predetermined axis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To enable a golfer to maximize practice efforts in a minimum amount of time and to maximize the use of available land by minimizing the areas devoted to various types of practices, variable golf tees and variable golf greens have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,937,875 discloses a movable platform used as a golf tee from which various golf shots may be practiced. Shots involving uphill, downhill, and sidehill lies may be practiced by changing the orientation of the movable platform.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,918 discloses similar apparatus for simulating uneven lies from which a golfer may practice various golf shots.
A more elaborate type of golf practice device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,979. The apparatus in the '979 patent comprises a wedge shaped member disposed on a rotatable ease. An alternate embodiment, a pair of wedge shaped members are disposed on a common axis and movable relative to each other to provide a variety of angular orientations for the top surface.
Another variable golf practice tee apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,869,127. This apparatus is designed primarily for use in a location other than at a golf course. Obviously, however, such apparatus may also be used at a golf course. The apparatus is manually adjustable by means of a handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,343 discloses a contourable putting green for use in indoor golf games. A plurality of motor driven reversible hydraulic jacks moves portions of the putting green to provide a varying contour of the green.
The patents discussed above may be divided into two categories, the first category of which comprises a movable or varied contoured putting green. For putting practice the contourable putting green provides a plurality of different contours to the putting green for enabling a golfer to practice putting on virtually an infinitely contourable green. Similarly, the variable golf tees provide a golfer with a plurality of different lies from which to practice golf shots. Accordingly each apparatus has its place in providing a golfer with a maximum amount of practice in a minimum amount of time and space, depending on the particular situation. However, there is no apparatus of which the present invention is aware which provides a golfer with the ability or capability of practicing driving to a green over variable distances and with a variable contour to the green. The apparatus of the present invention overcomes the deficiency of the prior art by providing a golfer with a practice range in which the green moves toward and away from the golfer and provides the golfer in a variety of distances not limited to straight line or longitudinal movement with a variable approach to the green.